Historical Events
- Mar 3 "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814, set to John Stafford Smith's 18th century tune "The Anacreontic Song"
Minnie the Moocher
Mar 3 Cab Calloway records "Minnie the Moocher" (Jazz's 1st million seller)
Bradman's Duck
Mar 4 Don Bradman is bowled for a rare first ball duck by Herman Griffith (4-50) on the last day of 5th cricket Test vs West Indies in Sydney; Windies win by 31 runs but lose series to Australia, 4-1
- Mar 4 West Indies beat Australia for the 1st time, by 30 runs at SCG
Crawford's 1st Australian Title
Mar 8 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: Jack Crawford wins 1st of 4 Australian titles; beats fellow Australian Harry Hopman 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
- Mar 8 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: In an all-Australian final Coral McInnes Buttsworth beats Marjorie Cox Crawford 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
Event of Interest
Mar 10 Oswald Mosley leaves British Labour party and founds the "New Party"
- Mar 11 Ready for Labour and Defence of the USSR, abbreviated as GTO, is introduced in the Soviet Union
- Mar 14 1st theater built for rear movie projection (NYC)
- Mar 16 Genootschap Onze Taal (Our Language) organizes (Netherlands)
- Mar 18 1st electric shavers go on sale in US (Schick)
- Mar 18 Juan Bautista Aznar becomes premier of Spain
- Mar 19 Nevada legalizes gambling
- Mar 20 Bishop Schreiber warns against national-socialism in Berlin
- Mar 21 KRO-broadcast studio initiated in Hilversum Holland
Maribel Vinson US Champion
Mar 21 US Ladies' Figure Skating championship won by Maribel Vinson
Freedom Fighters Hanged
Mar 23 Indian independence fighters Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar are hanged after conducting an assassination and a bombing. Their request to be shot by a firing squad is refused.
- Mar 25 Hal Kemp & his Orchestra record "Whistles", with Skinnay Ennis as vocalist, in NYC
- Mar 25 Scottsboro Boys arrested in Alabama, accused of raping a white woman
- Mar 26 Iraq & Trans-Jordan sign peace treaty
- Mar 26 Leo Bentley bowls 3 consecutive perfect games in Lorain, Ohio
- Mar 26 New Delhi replaces Calcutta as capital of British-Indies
- Mar 27 90th Grand National: 9-year-old Grakle, at odds of 100/6 and ridden by jockey Bob Lyall wins by 1.5 lengths from 1929 winner Gregalach
Chaplin Legion of Honor
Mar 27 Charlie Chaplin receives France's distinguished Legion of Honor
- Mar 27 John McGraw says night baseball will not catch on
- Mar 31 Brilliant Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne (43) is killed with 7 others when light plane crashes on trip from Kansas City to Los Angeles; record 105-12-5 @ .881 remains best ever
Famous Birthdays
Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022)
Mar 2 General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1985-91), born in Stavropol, Russia [1]
- Mar 2 Tom Wolfe, American journalist and author (The Right Stuff), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 2018)
- Mar 3 Piet Bambergen, Dutch comic and actor (The Mounties; The Mad Adventures of Sherlock Jones), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1996)
- Mar 4 Alice Rivlin, American economist and government budget official (Federal Reserve Board member, 1996-99; Director of Office of Management and Budget, 1993-96; Director of Congressional Budget Office, 1975-83), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2019)
- Mar 4 Bob Johnson, American collegiate and NHL ice hockey coach (University of Wisconsin Badgers, 1966-82; US Olympic team, 1976; Calgary Flames, 1982-87; Pittsburgh Penguins, 1990-91), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 1991)
- Mar 4 Han Jansen, Dutch painter (d. 1994)
- Mar 4 Wally Bruner, American broadcast journalist (ABC News), and TV host (What's My Line?, 1968-72), born in Ames, Iowa (d. 1997)
- Mar 5 Anthony Hedges, British light music and orchestral composer (Humberside Cantata), born in Bicester, Oxfordshire, England (d. 2019)
- Mar 5 Barry Tuckwell, Australian horn player (London Symphony, 1955-68), born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (d. 2020)
- Mar 5 Fred Othon Aristidès, French comic artist (Philémon), born in Paris, France (d. 2013)
- Mar 6 Carlo Galli, Italian soccer striker (13 caps; Palermo FC, AS Roma, AC Milan), born in Montecatini Terme, Italy (d. 2022)
- Mar 6 Carmen de Lavallade, American actress, dancer and choreographer (Aida), born in Los Angeles, California
- Mar 6 David Haddon Whitaker, British publisher (Whitaker's Almanack; Bookseller), and proponent of Standard Book Numbering (SBN) system, born in London, England (d. 2021)
- Mar 6 Ed Whitlock, British-Canadian runner, oldest person to run marathon under 4 hrs (at 85), born in London, England (d. 2017)
- Mar 6 Hal Needham, American stuntman, (d. 2013)
- Mar 6 John Smith, American actor (Cimarron City, Laramie, 7 Angry Men), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1995)
- Mar 7 C W Stubblefield, American restaurateur and music promoter, born in Navasota, Texas (d. 1995)
- Mar 7 Wálter Taibo, Uruguayan soccer goalkeeper (30 caps; Huracán, C.A. Peñarol), born in Montevideo, Uruguay (d. 2021)
- Mar 8 John McPhee, author (Back to ----)
- Mar 8 Neil Adcock, South African cricket fast bowler (26 Tests, 104 wickets @ 21.10), born in Cape Town, Western Cape (d. 2013)
- Mar 8 Neil Postman, American cultural critic (d. 2003)
- Mar 9 Thore Skogman, Swedish entertainer, born in Hallstahammar, Sweden (d. 2007)
- Mar 10 Georges Dor [Dore], French Canadian author, playwright, radio broadcaster, singer and songwriter, born in Drummondville, Quebec (d. 2001)
- Mar 11 Colin Jillings, New Zealand thoroughbred horse trainer (W. S. Cox Plate 1993 The Phantom Chance; 4 x Auckland Cup winners; 5 x NZ Derby winners), born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 2022)
- Mar 11 Peter Walters, British businessman (British Petroleum, 1954-90; CEO of Midland Bank, 1991-94; Chairman of SmithKline Beecham, 1994-2000), born in Birmingham, England (d. 2023)
Rupert Murdoch (93 years old)
Mar 11 Australian-born American media mogul (NY Post, News of the World, FOX-TV), born in Melbourne, Victoria
- Mar 12 Geoffrey de Bellaigue, French-British art curator (The Royal Collection, 1972-88), born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France (d. 2013)
- Mar 12 Herbert Kelleher, American airline executive (Southwest Airlines co-founder), born in Camden, New Jersey (d 2019)
- Mar 12 William "Billie" Thomas, American child actor (Our Gang - "Buckwheat"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1980)
- Mar 13 Marc Dessauvage, Belgian architect, born in Moorslede, Belgium (d. 1984)
- Mar 13 Rosalind Elias, American mezzo-soprano (Wagner's Die Walküre - "Grimgerde"; Barber's Vanessa - "Erika"), and opera director, born in Lowell, Massachusetts (d. 2020)
- Mar 13 Wolfgang Kohlhaase, German actor, director and writer (Solo Sunday), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2022)
- Mar 14 Phil Phillips [Baptiste], American singer-songwriter (Sea of Love), born in Crowley, Louisiana (d. 2020)
- Mar 15 (Dominic Joseph) "D. J." Fontana, American drummer (Elvis Presley), born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 2018)
- Mar 16 Betty Johnson, American pop and cabaret singer (Jack Paar Show; "I Dreamed"), born in Guilford County, North Carolina (d. 2022)
- Mar 16 Don Richard Carpenter, American writer (Hard Rain Falling), born in Berkeley, California (d. 1995)
- Mar 17 David Peakall, British scientist (d. 2001)
- Mar 17 Lorraine Ellison, American soul singer ("Stay with Me"; "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)"), and songwriter, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1983)
- Mar 18 Howard Coble, American politician (Rep-R-NC, 1985-2015), born in Greensboro, North Carolina (d. 2015)
- Mar 18 Ian McMillan, Scottish soccer inside forward (6 caps; Airdrieonians 301 games, Rangers 127 games) and manager (Airdrieonians 1970-76, 1985–86), born in Airdrie Scotland (d. 2024)
- Mar 18 Jürgen Schadeberg, German-born South African photographer who photographed apartheid struggle, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2020)
- Mar 20 Antonio Tauriello, Argentine composer, pianist, and conductor, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Mar 20 Hal Linden [Harold Lipshitz], American actor (Barney Miller; Blacke's Magic), director, and musician, born in The Bronx, New York
- Mar 20 John Rae, British educator (Headmaster of Westminster, 1970-86), writer (Conscience & Politics), and novelist (The Custard Boys), born in London (d. 2006)
- Mar 21 Ivan William Hannaford, British sociologist (d. 1996)
- Mar 22 Billy Vessels, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1952, University of Oklahoma), born in Cleveland, Oklahoma (d. 2001)
- Mar 22 Igor Hajek, Czech translator and writer, born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia (d. 1995)
- Mar 22 Leslie Thomas, Welsh writer (The Virgin Soldiers), born in Newport (d. 2014)
William Shatner (93 years old)
Mar 22 Canadian author, director and actor (Star Trek; T J Hooker), born in Montreal, Quebec
- Mar 23 Norman F. Lent, American politician (Rep-R-NY, 1971- 93), born in Oceanside, New York (d. 2012)
- Mar 23 Yevdokiya Mekshilo, Soviet skier (Olympic gold 1964), born in Gorno-Altaysk, Russia (d. 2013)
- Mar 23 Yevgeni Grishin, Russian speed skater (4 Olympic gold 1956, 60), born in Tula, Russia (d. 2005)
- Mar 24 Connie Hines, American actress (Mister Ed), born in Dedham, Massachusetts (d. 2009)
- Mar 24 Thelma Kalama, American 4 X 100m relay swimmer (Olympic gold 1948)
- Mar 25 Paul Motian, American jazz drummer (Bill Evans Trio; Keith Jarrett), composer, and bandleader (Electric Bebop Band), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2011)
- Mar 25 Roger Zatkoff, American football linebacker (Pro Bowl 1954, 55, 56; First Team All Pro 1954, 55; Green Bay Packers), born in Hamtramck, Michigan (d. 2021)
- Mar 25 Tom Wilson, American record producer (Sun Ra; Bob Dylan; Simon & Garfunkel; Mothers of Invention; Velvet Underground), born in Waco, Texas (d. 1978)
- Mar 26 Charles Stepney, American pianist, arranger, and record producer (Chess Records; Minnie Riperton; Ramsey Lewis; Earth, Wind & Fire), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1976)
Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)
Mar 26 American actor (Star Trek - "Spock"'; Mission Impossible, 1969-71), and director (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Three Men and a Baby), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Mar 27 Bob Bauman, CEO (British Aerospace)
- Mar 27 Burt Collins, American jazz trumpeter, born in New York City (d. 2007)
- Mar 27 Yoriaki Matsudaira, Japanese composer and academic, born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2023)
- Mar 28 Anatoly Lein, Soviet-American chess player (Grandmaster 1968; World Chess Hall of Fame), born in Leningrad, Russia (d. 2018)
- Mar 29 Evelyn de Rothschild, English banker and multi-millionaire (De Beers), born in Westminster, London (d. 2022)
- Mar 29 James Weatherhead, Scottish moderator (General Assembly of Church of Scotland), born in Dundee (d. 2017)
- Mar 29 Norman Tebbit, British Conservative party politician, cabinet minister and life peer, born in Ponders End, England
- Mar 29 Sylvia Law, British town planner (President of the Royal Town Planning Institute), born in Southport, Lancashire
- Mar 30 Harold Burrage, American blues and jazz singer, and pianist (Hi Yo Silver), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1966)
- Mar 30 Sándor Szokolay, Hungarian composer and pedagogue, born in Kunágota, Hungary (d. 2013)
- Mar 31 Miller Barber, American golfer (11 PGA Tour; 3 US Senior Open titles), born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 2013)
Famous Deaths
- Mar 5 Fr. Arthur Tooth SSC, Anglican Clergyman prosecuted and imprisoned for ritualist activities, dies at 91
- Mar 7 Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Finnish painter known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, dies at 65 [1]
- Mar 7 Theo van Doesburg [Christian Emil Marie Küpper], Dutch painter and architect, dies at 47
- Mar 8 Clara Kathleen Rogers, composer, dies at 87
- Mar 11 F. W. Murnau German film director (Nosferatu, The Last Laugh), dies of a car crash at 42
- Mar 20 Hermann Müller, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1876)
Ban Johnson (1864-1931)
Mar 28 American Baseball HOF executive (founder, President American League), dies after a long illness at 67
- Mar 31 Hermann Kutter, Swiss Protestant theologian (founder of Christian Socialism in Switzerland), dies at 67
- Mar 31 Knute Rockne, American College Football HOF coach, (National C'ships 1924, 29, 30 Notre Dame; record 105–12–5), dies in a plane crash at 43
